Appreciation

We slept in an hour. It is 10 miles to Crabtree Meadows where we will camp before and after I go up Mt. Whitney. I am almost there.

Pensive

Bob is in a reflective mood today. Crossing over Forester Pass was a big moment for him. It was hard, but he did it. He says that he will not do it again. Bob has been talking like he may never return to the Sierras. For a man who has traversed this area his whole life, saying good bye is hard. It’s one of the reasons he is still out here. He quotes John Muir to me. He pauses on the trail to take in the beauty.

He marvels at the expansiveness in this area. It is unlike any other part of the trail.

The brilliant intimacy of a meadow leaves one speechless

Focus

I share Bob’s revelry, but thoughts of Mt. Whitney keep crowding in. I see it there, crouched low above the brown hills.

From this side Mt. Whitney is a tidal wave threatening to break. But, wait a minute, Doolittle. Perhaps I am being overly dramatic. Whitney is a mountain like many others. It just happens to be taller than any other mountain in the lower 48 states. I normally don’t climb mountains for the heck of it, but I’m gonna give this one a shot, because it’s right there.

As we arrive at camp, there is a remarkable tree along the trail. Its bark has been stripped off in a spiral, like a barber pole. You would think this might kill it. Instead, it has found a way to carry on. The living branches sprout from the bark-covered sections of the trunk.

Plans for Whitney

Because of the tendency for afternoon storms, I need to be off Whitney by 2pm. That means I will start my ascent at 3am to be at the summit between 8 and 9 in the morning. I will only take extra clothes, and my food for the day. Everything else will stay in my tent in camp.

Bob will stay in camp as I summit. It is precious of him to do this for me. I feel the strength of his support.

It has been raining off and on since we arrived in camp. We are eating in our tents – cold ramen, a Slim Jim and some Oreos. I hope the weather clears overnight as it does sometimes here. I only need about twelve hours of clear weather tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

September 12, 2025.